Samuel Gompers House facts for kids
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Samuel Gompers House
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 Location in Washington, D.C.
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2122 1st St., NW, Washington, D.C. |
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| Built | 1902 |
| NRHP reference No. | 74002161 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 23, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
The Samuel Gompers House is a special old house located at 2122 1st Street NW in Washington, D.C.. It's in a neighborhood called Bloomingdale. This house was once the home of Samuel Gompers, a very important person in American history. He lived here from 1902 to 1917. Samuel Gompers started and led a big group called the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Because of his importance, this house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
About the Samuel Gompers House
The Samuel Gompers House is one of many row houses on 1st Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is a narrow building made of brick. The house has three floors and two main sections on the front.
One part of the house sticks out in a six-sided shape, going all the way up to the roof. The front door is in the other section. Stone steps lead up to the door, which has a fancy carved stone piece above it. The house was built around the early 1900s.
Who Was Samuel Gompers?
Samuel Gompers was born in England in 1850. He moved to the United States when he was young. He started working as a cigar maker. This job helped him see how workers needed to join together to improve their lives.
Gompers helped create a union for cigar makers. This union became very strong in the 1870s. He believed that workers should have a voice.
Leading the American Federation of Labor
Samuel Gompers worked with other union leaders to start the American Federation of Labor (AFL). He became the first president of the AFL in 1886. He stayed president until he passed away in 1924.
The AFL became the most important group for workers in the early 1900s. It helped many people. Gompers worked hard to achieve three main goals for American workers:
- Higher wages (more pay)
- Shorter hours (less time working each day)
- Better working conditions (safer and fairer workplaces)
The house where Gompers lived was not just his home. It was also a place where important meetings for the AFL often happened. Decisions made there helped shape the lives of many workers across the country.
